The web feels so broken. Subscription and login gates at every corner. Using Google on a phone now means being periodically quizzed on which of the buttons to press to *not* be redirected to the app store. Opening an Instagram link casually throws up a browser alert dialog because it tries to automatically open an unsupported URL scheme, presumably their own app, and apparently everyone is fine with it. I'm proud that Mastodon never locks public content behind login walls.
@Gargron Amen to that! I’ve noticed Bluesky gives you a weird, degraded version of the interface if you’re not logged in. Also, I know this is often overlooked, but I want to compliment you on it: GOOD MOBILE WEB UI. SO MANY sites these days have a mobile web that's horrible on purpose to get you to download their app. I usually do not need the app. I only downloaded the Mastodon app because 1: it’s mastodon, so I trust it and 2: the mobile web UI is good, which makes me confident the app is too
@Gargron An even bigger problem is that ordinary people — non-nerds, most people — are no longer using the web. They only live in their social and streaming apps. I am constantly explaining what a browser is and how to open a link from a messaging app. These people are not using email anymore either, which is a huge concern if you own a shop.
@Gargron I deleted my Facebook account ages ago (and therefore also Instagram), and more recently Twitter as well. I’ve eliminated Google from my life with the exception of Gmail and YouTube.i do not sign up for any websites or services using SSO. I do not use Chrome or any Chromium-based web browsers and I use ad blockers to virtually eliminate all advertising and most tracking from my web activity. I use Archive.is to break through paywalls.
@Gargron Another concerning trend is websites asking to disable the ad blocker in order to proceed. I wouldn’t mind watching a short ad to support the service. What I am not ok with is profiling and tracking
@Gargron I hear you, but there are many others like you that are not fine with it. Many of us are moving/have moved away from big tech and are using other browsers, search engines, etc. that are less invasive and intrusive. Many people have just very quietly deactivated their facebook, twitter, instagram accounts to maintain their sanity (and some semblance of privacy). In the past six months, I've deactivated my Twitter and Bluesky accounts... and am enjoying just hanging out on Mastodon.😀
@Gargron hi on a phone you can use an application called NetGuard to regain controll, get it from Git and give the dev some support it also helps to block ads. google app store is not just a pain it tracks users. My favorite alternative is F droid which offers a limited choice of vetted applications..
@Gargron it became almost a sport using the internet in its current state. It's regressing in so many ways like shoving AI Bots and subscription services down our throats or how search engines are broken or how ads became so invasive it might make some services nearly unusable.
@Gargron There’s some good counter culture as well though: @kagihq for search, @TheGuardian for news, the small web movement, digital gardens, web rings, etc. – but yeah, the mainstream web is currently terrible if you don’t know how to avoid it.
@Gargron For a while, I read Mastodon without an account. While I had to rely on the explore tab or live feeds only, and couldn't comment (which was what finally got me to; I had Thoughts), it worked pretty well and allowed me to get a sense of the vibe a lot better than attempting the same for Facebook or the-Musk-playground-formerly-known-as-Twitter would.
@Gargron Even searching the web sucks. The first page is always filled with AI generated spam from sites that have no reputation or credibility. It’s insane